IRAQ: U.S. FORCES STOP AND SEARCH CROSSING INTO SUNNI STRONGHOLD OF FALLUJA AMID REPORTS OF POSSIBLE NEW OFFENSIVE ON THE CITY

Record ID: 647414

  • Title: IRAQ: U.S. FORCES STOP AND SEARCH CROSSING INTO SUNNI STRONGHOLD OF FALLUJA AMID REPORTS OF POSSIBLE NEW OFFENSIVE ON THE CITY
  • Date: 24th April 2004
  • Summary: (W3) FALLUJA, IRAQ (APRIL 24, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. SLV FAMILIES SEATED BY BARBED WIRE, OTHERS STANDING WAITING FOR PERMISSION TO ENTER TOWN (2 SHOTS) 0.10 2. SLV FAMILIES AND CHILDREN SITTING ON GROUND (2 SHOTS) 0.21 3. SV CHILDREN INSIDE CARS (2 SHOTS) 0.33 4. SLV U.S SOLDIERS MANNING ROADBLOCK 0.39 5. SLV/SV U.S SOLDIERS WITH DOG SNIFFING AROUND AND INSIDE CAR (3 SHOTS) 0.56 6. SLV U.S SOLDIERS WALKING NEAR ROADBLOCK 1.02 7. MCU (English) U.S. CPT HERT BARCLAY SAYING "We now we stop and search people and vehicles going in to ensure there is no unauthorized weapons or explosives going which will keep the people of Falluja safe." 1.15 8. SV U.S. OFFICER INSPECTING IDENTIFICATION OF RETURNING IRAQI SOLDIERS (2 SHOTS) 1.28 9. LV/SLV U.S. SOLDIERS INSPECTING POLICE CAR BEHIND ROADBLOCK/SOLDIERS TALKING (2 SHOTS) 1.41 10. SV U.S. SOLDIER TALKING TO IRAQI POLICEMAN/FAMILY WAITING (2 SHOTS) 1.54 11. MCU (Arabic) FATIMA MOSAEB, FALLUJA RESIDENT SAYING "They made us flee our houses. We don't know what happened. We became refugees. They should show some mercy. I appeal to Arab leaders - why don't they interfere in this situation? Why do they tolerate the destruction of Falluja? What have our children done wrong?" 2.12 12. SV/SLV FATHER AND KIDS NEXT TO BARBED WIRE (2 SHOTS) 2.24 13. SV IRAQI PEOPLE STANDING NEAR CAR 2.32 14. SV U.S SOLDIER CHECKING CAR DRIVING ON A PARALLEL ROAD TOWARDS RAMADI TOWN (2 SHOTS) 2.46 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 9th May 2004 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: FALLUJA, IRAQ
  • Country: Iraq
  • Reuters ID: LVAC22DK7TBXOTT8A1REFZTT8978
  • Story Text: U.S forces stop and search crossing into Sunni
    stronghold of Falluja amid reports of possible new
    offensive on the city.



    Some residents of Falluja attempting to return to
    the their town said U.S troops blocked their way back and
    that civilians have no access to the besieged town.

    Thousands of Iraqis had left the city, 50 kilometres
    west of Baghdad, to escape fierce clashes in which hundreds
    of civilians and dozens of U.S. marines were killed earlier
    this month.

    The returnees were venturing back after the U.S.

    military said earlier it would only resume offensive
    operations in Falluja if gunmen failed to turn in their
    heavy weapons.

    Colonel John Coleman, chief of staff of 1st Marine
    Expeditionary Force, said on Friday (April 23) a possible
    new offensive would take on Saddam Hussein loyalists,
    foreign fighters, Muslim militants and he added armed
    criminals might join the fray.

    Over 2,000 Marines ring Falluja, ready for action if
    the U.S. military decides that rebels have failed to turn
    in enough heavy weapons under a peace deal reached with
    civic leaders.

    It was unclear how much influence Falluja civic leaders
    have on the 1,000-2,000 guerrillas in the town, where
    clashes have punctuated a shaky truce over the past 10 days.

    "They made us flee our houses. We don't know what
    happened. We became refugees. They should show some mercy.

    I appeal to Arab leaders - why don't they interfere in this
    situation? Why do they tolerate the destruction of Falluja?
    What have our children done wrong?" resident Fatima Mosaeb
    said.

    U.S. Marines launched a crackdown in Falluja on April 5
    after crowds burned and mutilated the corpses of four U.S.

    private security guards ambushed there on March 31. The
    Marines had vowed to capture those responsible for the
    killings. Local doctors say more than 600 people were killed
    during a Marine crackdown in Falluja launched on April 5, a
    few days after four U.S. security men were killed and
    mutilated there.


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